Buggy-curtain.



G. W. ATKINS.

BUGGY CURTAIN;

APPLICATION FILED BEP'LZR, 1908.

922,073. I Patented May 18, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Enoemtoz Witnesses UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

"GEORGE W. ATKINS, OF MILTON, DELAWARE, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO WM. E. TOWNSEND, OF FELTON, DELAWARE.

BUGGY-GUBTAIN.

No. seams.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 18, 1909.

Application filed September 22, 1908. Serial No. 454,198.

T all whom. it may concern. I

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. ArKINs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Milton, in the county of Sussex and State of Delaware, have invented a new and useful Buggy-Curtain, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to vehicle tops of that general class shown and described in United States Letters Patent issued to me on the 24th day of April 1900 under No. 647931.

The object of the invention is generally to improve and simplify the construction of the vehicle top and to provide improved mechanism for operating the side curtains of said to A further object of the invention is to so arrange the curtain operating mechanism as to permit the latter to be used in connection with crushed top vehicles.

A still further object of the invention is generally to improve this class of devices so as to increase their utility, durability and efliciency.

Further objects and advantages will appear in the following description, it being understood that various changes in form, proportions and minor details of construction may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification: Figure 1 is a per spective view of a buggy top constructed in accordance with my invention, the side curtains being shown in closed position, and a portion of the top of the vehicle broken away to show the curtain operating mechanism. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional. view. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail transverse sectional view taken on the line 4l4 of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a diagrammatical view showing the arrangement of the operating cords.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all of the figures of the drawings.

The improved curtain operating means forming the subject matter of the present invention is shown in connection with a crushed top buggy in which 5 designates the body portion and 6 the side bows hinged on the opposite sides of the seat 7 so that the top may be readily moved to raised or lowered position.

Spaced from the central top bow 8 is a transverse bar 9, the opposite ends of which are bent downwardly and provided with terminal studs 10 to which are pivotally connected the adjacent ends of the top knuckle braces 11.

Secured to the intermediate top bow 8 is an inner cover 13, and secured to the terminal top bows 12 and extending over the transverse bar 9 is an outer cover 14, the latter being spaced from the inner cover to form a chamber or compartment 15 for the reception of the side curtains 16 when the latter are moved to open or inoperative position.

The intermediate portion of the central bow 8 is provided with a recess 17 in which is seated a stud 18, the upper end of which is provided with a transverse groove or channo 19 for the reception of the bar 9, the several parts being rigidly secured in position on the bow 8 by means of a bolt or similar fastening device 20 extending through the bar 9, stud 18 and intermediate how 8 for engagement with a clamping nut 21.

Surrounding the stud 18 is a casing includin spaced plates 22 between which are journa ed a plurality of pulleys 23, preferably four in number and arranged at each corner of the casing, the latter being rigidly secured to the bar 9 by bolts, rivets or similar fastening devices 24.

The operating mechanism for each curtain includes a main operating cord 25 having one end thereof provided with a finger ring 26 and its opposite end extended over a pulley or roller 27 for attachment to the intermediate portion of the adjacent side curtain, as indicated at 28. Secured to the main operating cord 25 of each side curtain are branch cords 29 which engage the adjacent rollers 23 on one side of the casing and are thence extended laterally in opposite directions to the front and rear of the carriage top where they pass over suitable sheaves or pulleys 30 secured in any suitable manner to the front and rear top bows 12, the terminals of the branch cords 29 being thence extended downwardly and secured to the opposite ends of the adjacent curtain at 31. It will thus be seen that by exerting a longitudinal ull on either finger ring 26 the cord 25 attac ed to said ring will cause the branch cords 29 to exert an upward pull on the adjacent curtain 16 and thus move said curtain to inoperative position within the compartment 15 so as to be entirely housed within the vehicle top and out of the way. In order to move the curtains to lowered 0r operative position itis merely necessary to exert a slight downward pull on either finger piece 32 when the same will be moved to the position shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings and in which position they may be secured by the usual buttons 33.

The curtains 16 and operating cords 29 being flexible, the carriage top may be readily crushed when the top knuckle braces 11 are actuated to lower said top without danger of displacing the curtain operating mechanism.

Attention is here called to the fact that the upper surface of the intermediate top bow 8 is concaved to "form a guide groove 34 for the reception of the operating cords 25. Suitable hooks 35 are also preferably secured to the intermediate side bows 6 for engagement with the adjacent finger rings 26.

From the foregoing description it will be i seen that there is provided a comparatively simple and thoroughly eflicient device by means of which the curtains may be readily operated from the interior of the vehicle to open and close them, thus obviating the necessity of the occupant of the vehicle exposing himself to the elements in cold or inclement weather.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed is 1. A vehicle top including terminal and intermediate bows, the intermediate top bow being provided with a longitudinal guide groove, a casing secured to the intermediate bow and having a plurality of pulleys journaled therein, a transverse bar secured to the casing, an inner covering, an outer covering extending over the transverse bar and spaced. from the inner covering to form a chamber, side curtains slidably mounted within said chamber, pulleys secured to the terminal top bows, and a flexible operating cord secured to the opposite end of each curtain and having its intermediate portion passing over the pulleys on the terminal bows and casing and its free end extended within the groove of the intermediate how.

2. A vehicle top including terminal and intermediate top bows, a casing secured to the intermediate bow and having a plurality of pulleys journaled therein, pulleys mounted on the terminal top bows, a transverse bar secured to the top of the casing, an inner covering, an outer covering passing over the transverse bar and spaced from the inner covering to form a chamber, curtains operating within the chamber, an operating cord secured to the opposite ends of each curtain and having its intermediate portion passing over the pulleys on the terminal top bows and thence over the adjacent pulleys of the casing and provided with a terminal finger piece, and fastening devices secured to the top and arranged to engage the finger pieces for securing the curtains in open position.

3. A vehicle top including terminal and intermediate top bows, the intermediate bow being provided with a seating recess, a boss seated in said recess and having its upper end formed with a transverse groove, a casing embracing the boss and having a plurality of pulleys journaled therein, a transverse bar seated in the groove in the boss, an inner covering, an outer covering extending over the transverse bar and spaced from the inner covering to form a chamber, side curtains operating within the chamber, pulleys secured to the terminal top bows, operating cords secured to the opposite ends of each curtain and passing over the pulleys on the terminal bows and the adjacent pulleys on the casing for moving said curtains to raised and lowered positions, and a fastening device piercing the bar, boss and intermediate top bow for securing the several parts in assembled position.

4. A vehicle top including terminal and intermediate top) bows, a casing secured to the intermediate ow and having a plurality of sets ofpulleys j ournaled therein, a transverse bar secured to the casing, an inner covering, an outer covering extending over the transverse bar and spaced from the inner covering to form a chamber, side curtains operating within the chamber, pulleys secured to the terminal top bows, a roller journaled in the casing between each set of pulleys, a main operating cord extending over each roller for attachment to the central portion of the adjacent curtain, and branch cords secured to the opposite ends of the curtains and extending over the pulleys on the terminal bows and thence over the pulleys on the casing for attachment to the main 0 crating cord, fastening devices secured to the vehicle top, and finger pieces secured to the ends of the main operating cords for engagement with said fastening devices.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

V GEORGE W. ATKINS.

Witnesses:

MARGARET GoDwIN, HARRY I I PURSE. 

